LINDEN’S very own Demerara Bakery is celebrating its 21st Anniversary as not only a successful local business, but as one of the few that focus not only on its profit margin, but also on serving the community through creating employment and being the sponsor of several community initiatives.The bakery, located on Burnham Drive, Wismar, opened its doors in October 1995 and used that first month in promoting the business by freely distributing its products to the less fortunate.
Founder and owner of the business, Steven Bovell, revealed to the Guyana Chronicle that the business was opened not to primarily make profits, but as an expression of appreciation for life after a major heart surgery and five bypasses in 1994. “After the surgery I was recuperating and one night I had a dream and this voice said your life was spared, go back home and open a bakery so that you can provide employment for the people,” an emotional Bovell revealed while trying to fight back the tears . Being an electrical engineer by profession, Bovell had no experience in the industry, but followed the voice and did just so.

He secured a property on Burnham Drive and sought the necessary technical assistance from an organisation called CESO (Canadian Executive Services Organization). “We actually started operations in October of 1995, what we did for the first month of October, we made small amounts and gave free; in November we went into commercial production. When we started first we started with a small staff like about six persons which gradually built to a level of about 25,” he said, adding that, “the business was doing quite well and fulfilled the aim of providing employment.”
The genesis of challenges
In 2012 during the Linden unrest the business began to lose tremendously. With weeks of an entire shutdown of the town, business was closed, but the entrepreneur in his selflessness and generosity continued to produce products on a small scale to provide free meals for the protestors. “Fire and so was burning right in front of the business, everything was shutdown and we lost tremendously,” Bovell reminisced, adding that he had to down-size on employment and some employees’ incomes were cut. During that same time, a plethora of external businesses started distributing their products in the mining town and Lindeners, he claimed, rushed for these new products, thus undermining their own local bakery. With a decrease in demand and production, things went downwards and got worse after two robberies in the space of three weeks.” We got robbed by the same person twice in three weeks and lost close to $300, 000.” Bovell said that the business did not fold, but picked up the pieces and continued to provide service.
Support your own
The local businessman said that it is paramount that Lindeners support their own businesses, not specifically his bakery, but all local businesses owned by their fellow Lindeners and providing employment for their fellow Lindeners. “We have to educate people, I am not saying buy Demerara Bakery, but you have to support your businesses just [as] how your businesses support you, your children get employment, they go to school and that is the underlying fact,” Bovell reasoned. He posited that many outside businesses are saturating the local Linden market and the money is leaving the town rather than circulating within for its own development.
Bovell said too that he is concerned about the state of affairs in Linden and has been collaborating with various stakeholders to restore the town to its former glory. He stressed that Lindeners should explore several avenues which will enable them to sustain themselves, thus boosting the economy.
Giving Back
Marking the 21st Anniversary, the business will be embarking on several ‘giving back’ initiatives to further strengthen its purpose of service to the community. “Every week for different communities, we will provide 20 meals which will consist of a fruit juice, a main meal and a dessert for the vulnerable homes in the area. Secondly, we are going to announce that at the end of every month, based on the community purchases on our product we will give back a percentage which will go towards community projects….thirdly, as a business twice a week we will prepare meals consisting of a fruit juice, main meal and dessert,” Bovell revealed. This initiative he said is to promote healthy living and eating. He is calling on all Lindeners to support the business so that the entire community of Linden can benefit, especially the less fortunate ones.